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Home > Arlo Robot Assembly Guide > Section 4 - Arlo Power Distribution Board

Section 4 - Arlo Power Distribution Board

Tools you will need in this section:

  • Safety Glasses (this is most important!)
  • Soldering iron and solder (Parallax #700-10011 or equiv.)
  • Masking tape
  • Small needle-nose pliers
  • Small diagonal cutters

Additional information on this device can be found on its product page here [1].

For a printable copy of the Arlo Power Distribution Board instructions, download the PDF guide here [2].

 

Confirm the contents of the Arlo Power Distribution Board Rev B.:

Check your kit's contents with the list below before starting assembly.

  • (1) - Printed Circuit Board (Rev B) (#300-28996)
  • (2) - Rocker Switch, SPST 25A, 14V (#400-00102)
  • (6) - .250” Terminal Receptacle (#400-00103)
  • (10) - 2 Position Screw Terminal (# 452-00012)
  • (8) - Holder Mini Fuse (#452-00064)
  • (1) - 5.3K Resistor (#150-01045)
  • (2) - 1K Resistor (#150-01020)
  • (1) - 7.15K Resistor (#150-01050)     
  • (4) - 2 amp Mini LP Blade Fuse (#452-00065)
  • (1) - 5 amp Mini LP Blade Fuse (#452-00083)
  • (3) - 10 amp Mini LP Blade Fuse (#452-00081)
  • (1) - Power Jack (2.5 mm #452-00084, or 2.1 mm, 452-00097)*
  • (4) - Capacitor, 470 uF 25V (#200-01048)
  • (2) - Diode, rectifier, 3 "A 50 V axial (#501-00010)
  • (2) - MPM-80 DC/DC Converter (#601-00528)
  • (4) - #4-40 x 1/4" panhead, black Screw (#710-00100)
  • (4) - 4-40 x 1" f/f, round, AL standoff (#700-00060)
  • (4) - #4-40 x 1.5" panhead, zinc screw (#710-00008)
  • (4) - #4-40 x 1/2" round, aluminum spacer (#713-00007)
  • (1) - Arlo Switch Plate, Delrin switch plate (#721-00020)
  • (2) - TO-220 Vertical Heatsink (#700-00097)

Contact Parallax sales department if any parts are missing.

*The jack inner diameter size was updated May 2016.  Your Arlo Complete kit will include a compatible Arlo Battery Charger. See the Arlo Power Distribution Board product guide [2] for details. 

Step 18 - Low-Profile Components

  • We will begin assembly by installing the lowest profile components first.

R1 has a value of 5.3k, R2&R4 are 1k, R3 is 7.15k .  These resistors are non-polarized, which means that you can insert them in either direction on the board and they’ll work fine. Just be sure you put the correct values into the proper sets of holes.  (You can double check the values of the resistors by using an ohmmeter.)

  • Also, after you've inserted each of the resistors, bend their leads slightly. This will help keep them tight to the PCB as you solder them into their respective locations.  

Note:  The pictures in this section were copied from the APDB product documentation.

Important! Double-check that each resistor is in the correct location before continuing.  Correct voltage output from the regulators is dependent on the resistor values being placed properly on the board.

Step 19 - Diodes

WARNING: These parts MUST be installed in the correct direction for safety and functionality. Double-check polarity before soldering.

  • Pre-bend the leads of the diodes. 

They should be bent accurately such that they will fit tight down to the board.  A small pair of needle-nose pliers works well for this. 

  • Solder in place and clip the leads.

 

Step 20 - Fuse Holders

  • Next, install the fuse holders FH1–FH8. Begin by placing each one in their respective holes. The fuse holders are non-polarized, which means that they may be installed in either direction.
  • Flip the entire assembly over and solder them in place.

The fuse holders should be a friction-fit in their holes – this will help to hold them in position as you flip the board over and solder them.  If they’re a looser fit, you can simply place a piece of tape across the tops of the holders to maintain their position when flipped upside down.

All of the fuse holders should be tight to the board when they’re properly soldered.

Step 21 - Terminal Blocks

  • Install the green-colored screw terminal blocks (J1–J10), with the “wire input” side of the blocks facing the outer edge of the board (below, left). 
  • Use a strip of tape or cardboard to hold them in position while flipping the board over (below, right), and then solder them into place.

After soldering the terminal blocks, you should have something like this:

Step 22 - Switch Terminals

  • The switch terminals may come on a strip. Clip the terminals off from the carrier strip shown below.

  • Then, trim the little tab off of the terminal as shown in the image below.

  • Solder the switch terminals to the board. The terminals should be a tight fit, and when soldered they should all be perpendicular to the PCB.

Step 23 - Charging Power Jack

  • Solder the power jack on to the board. 

Be sure that the jack is seated tightly to the board once soldered.  Due to the diameter of the holes and the flat leads that go through them, use plenty of solder to ensure that the electrical connections are entirely filled.

Step 24 - Voltage Regulators and Heat Sinks

WARNING: These components MUST be installed in the correct orientation (see close-up below, right) - not only for proper operation, but for safety as well. Double-check orientation before soldering.

  • Install the voltage regulators.

The two voltage regulators are identical, so either can be placed in their respective holes. The regulators are “programmed” to output the required voltages based on the values of each of the resistor pairs (R1, R2), and (R3-R4). For this reason, you must be certain you have installed your resistors correctly.

  • Now, install the heat sinks over the voltage regulators as shown below. Heat sinks should NOT be flush with the board. The holes in the voltage regulators should line up with the holes in the heat sinks.
  • Solder them into place.

Step 25 - Polarized Capacitors

WARNING: These components MUST be installed in the correct orientation - not only for proper operation, but for safety as well. Check correct polarity before soldering.

Examine the board locations for C1, C2, C3, and C4, and note the markings indicating the correct polarity. You should see a plus-sign or a minus-sign on each of the capacitors themselves.  The hole for each capacitor’s positive terminal is marked with a (+) on the board (below, right).

The capacitor’s negative terminal will show a (-) sign on the side of its case. Match the polarity markings on the capacitors to the markings on the PC board. Negative on the capacitor goes to negative on the printed circuit board. Note that when each set of capacitors (C1 & C2, and C3 & C4) is properly installed, they have their negative pins adjacent to each other.

Important! Do not install the capacitors backwards – if you do, they may explode when power is applied.

  • Insert each capacitor, double-check the polarity, flare their leads slightly to help them stay in place, and flip the circuit board over and solder into place.

Properly installed, the capacitors should look like this:

Step 26 - Switch Plate

The plate is cut from .093 thick Delrin, and the text is etched into the surface. If you would like to enhance its readability, you can flood or fill the text with correction fluid (“white-out” or white paint) and then simply wipe off the excess. The fluid remains in the recessed etched lettering.

Both switches are exactly the same; therefore each can be put into either mounting hole. However, note that each switch has a bronze colored terminal (shown below) at one end (the other two terminals are silver). 

  • Orient the switches such that their bronze terminals are closest to the “top edge” of the plate that has the “I” (on indicator). The orientation of the switch in the mounting hole is very important; double-check your installation.  Do not install these switches in reverse.

Step 27 - Switch Plate Assembly to PDB

  • Next, attach each of the four 1” long standoffs through each of the four holes in the plate using (4) #4-40 x 1/4” long black pan-head screws.

  • Before mounting the switch plate to the PDB, we'll install the necessary fuses. The board has labels, but you can reference the right-hand image below as well. With the board oriented so that the terminal blocks are furthest away from you, the fuses should be placed in left to right as follows: 2A, 5A, 10A, 10A, 10A, 2A, 2A, 2A. Double check the placement with the board labels before moving on.

Note: In the two fuse holders marked by the board label "Max 15 Amp Total", you must insert a 5A fuse into one and a 10A fuse into the other. Together they make up the 15A Total indicated by the board label.

  • Now, being gentle yet firm, carefully line up the switch connections with the terminals on the PCB and gently “wiggle” the assemblies together such that the standoffs are flat to the PCB.

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Links
[1] http://www.parallax.com/product/28996
[2] https://www.parallax.com/downloads/arlo-power-distribution-board-product-guide